


A Brief Detour

by dandelionsandsunshine



Series: Patchwork [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Head Boy James Potter, Head Girl Lily Evans Potter, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Jily Fluff, New Relationship, Snogging, jily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:20:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29955357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dandelionsandsunshine/pseuds/dandelionsandsunshine
Summary: Lily fakes an injury to get her and James excused from class. A 'brief detour' turns into an adventure in the hallways. Hint: They never went to the hospital wing.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Series: Patchwork [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2198742
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	A Brief Detour

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: “Oh, my ankle! I think it must be broken!” *wink* *wink*

James Potter was the luckiest boy in Hogwarts.

First of all, he had finally kissed Lily Evans for the first time a week ago — after several years of pining and heartbreak. Secondly, they had snogged many, many, many more times since the first. Third, chocolate pudding had been served at breakfast in the Great Hall today for the first time in two months.

The only reason he had to _not_ be happy was that he and Lily still had to hide their relationship. It was technically a mutual agreement — one that came into being after Lily admit that she wasn't ready to face the Hogwarts gossip mill's scrutiny. Of course, he readily agreed. He would wait for as long as it took her to be ready. But that didn't mean that he was _thrilled_ about it, either. When he saw her in the Gryffindor Common Room yesterday morning it took all of his self-control not to throw his arms around her, and today during Transfiguration, he temporarily blanked out and almost kissed her on the cheek before regaining his wits. It had made for an awkward moment to explain to his mates, though.

Every other day James had been too caught up thinking about Lily to pay attention to anything else. But today, sitting in the back of the room in Charms class, James Potter was just... confused.

The class had started normal enough — Professor Flitwick had squeaked out attendance, there were no notable disturbances (other than Jennie Clearwater bursting into tears because she couldn't take the NEWTs pressure, but those occurrences were commonplace nowadays), and everyone was in their assigned seats.

James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter were in the left-middle of the class, with Remus the closest to Flitwick. Lily and her mate Marlene were sitting in the middle of the class near the front — the perfect place for James to stare at Lily the entire class without it looking suspicious to any curious bystander. He hadn't got a chance to talk to her today, and the blazing looks she'd sent him throughout Transfiguration hadn't made it any easier to prevent himself from being distracted.

After a quick lecture on Duro, the hardening charm, the class buzzed with activity while they tried to turn their apples into stone.

Somewhere during that time was when everything had become confusing.

Remus and Peter were trying to turn their apples into stone, and Remus even got his apple halfway changed. Meanwhile, Sirius and James were doing everything but what they were supposed to. The two boys were in the middle of a heated argument about whether or not food can be increased or reduced in size, and if so whether it breaks Gamp's Law, when, out of the corner of his eye, James saw a flash of red hair come toward them, wading through the sea of students.

"James!" Lily Evans said loudly. Her fingers closed around his arm, pulling him towards her.

"What's going on?"

"I'm going to do something. It's probably a terrible idea, but you're going to play along, okay? And don't worry."

"What are you even talking about?" James asked, confused. He was becoming a little bit worried.

"Living in the moment," Lily whispered, her lips brushing his ears, and then she was gone, leaving James to sit there, incredibly bewildered.

Everything became clear very soon, though, starting when Lily stuck her hand up in the air and waved it around to catch Flitwick's attention.

"Professor!" Lily said loudly, slightly bent over and clutching her desk for support. Her face was twisted up very adorably, James noted.

"Yes, Miss Evans?" Everyone knew that she was the professor's favorite student. Her best subjects were Charms and Potions, and both Flitwick and Slughorn adored her, but James suspected that she was partial to Flitwick. Probably because he wasn't a creep.

"I fell and twisted my foot — _ouch!_ "

Now the whole class was watching as the Head Girl hopped on her right foot, face twisted up in pain, propped up against Marlene's side.

James immediately got up from his seat, wanting to help her, but then he remembered what she told him just a few minutes ago. _I'm going to do something. It's probably a terrible idea, but you're going to play along, okay? And don't worry._

So he slowly sat back down, clenching his fists in his hands and hoping that he had understood her correctly.

"Are you alright, Miss Evans?" Flitwick was moving to her, wand out, ready to fix whatever he needed to.

Lily put an arm around Marlene's shoulder and groaned loudly. " _Oh_ , my ankle! I think it must be broken! May I go to the hospital?"

James might have been imagining it, but he thought Lily winked at him.

"Of course, of course! Miss McKi — "

Lily interrupted Flitwick before he could finish his sentence. "Potter, can you take me? I don't think I can walk, and Marlene won't be able to carry me. We have some Head things to discuss anyway."

James stared at her in disbelief. _What in Merlin is she doing?_

"Uh, alright."

He hesitantly walked up to her, easing her into his arms and trying to keep his face from burning. He was bloody _carrying_ her! Bridal style! This sort of physical contact was suspicious for two people who were 'just friends,' and it surely wasn't easy for him when all he wanted to do was kiss her right there. 

But he didn't say anything out loud. Instead, he remained still when Lily slung her arm across his waist and the other over his shoulder.

"Tell Madame Pomfrey I sent you with her, Mr. Potter!" Flitwick squeaked. "And bring back a note!"

The class was staring at them now, and James ignored Sirius' knowing smirk and Marlene's gape.

"Sure, Professor."

He hefted Lily into his arms and walked out of the room, opening and closing the door without looking at anyone. Not even the girl who was currently curled up in his arms.

He had barely walked a few steps into the hallway when Lily twisted in his arms, kicking her legs to the side to face him, dragging her feet on the ground. She was smiling sweetly up at him before she nudged James to the wall, planted her hands on his face, and snogged him.

James melted into her kiss for a moment, biting her bottom lip, before coming to his senses and jerking away.

"Lils! What's going on?"

She groaned, trying to push her lips back onto his, but James was adamant, forcing her face away and glaring at her.

"You're supposed to be going to the hospital wing!"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Merlin, you're supposed to be smart, James. I was faking it, obviously. My ankle is fine. I just wanted to snog you, you arse!"

James gaped at her. "But — "

"I'm sure you can spare your girlfriend a brief detour. So shut _up_ , and snog me already."

So he did, kissing her back with fervor, hands snaking up her back and into her hair, pushing her back into the wall as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

(The last move... _Merlin._ She was definitely going to be the death of him.)

* * *

They remained like that for the next several minutes until their lips were red and swollen, hair mussed and sticking up everywhere, eyes dilated and dizzy, and looking wholly improper.

By the time they had pulled away from each other and Lily asked a scandalized portrait what the time was (hint: Charms would be ending in five minutes), she had a slightly panicked expression on her face.

"How do I look?" Lily asked frantically, smoothing down her hair and fastening her robe, which had somehow come undone during the past half an hour. James took full credit for that.

"You look thoroughly snogged," James said, smirking down at her. "Like you spent the last half-hour kissing me in a hallway."

Lily just glared at him, ran her fingers through her copper hair one more time, and pulled him along to the classroom.

When she opened the door and they walked in, the entire class stopped what they were doing and looked up. James felt their eyes drilling into his back as he nervously ran a hand through his hair and slid into his seat, sparing a glance at Lily, who had put on a fake limp.

"Prongs!" Sirius shot him a knowing smirk. "You look like you were in a wrestling match."

James hastily adjusted his uniform and patted down his hair. Marlene was craning her neck to look at him over Lily's hunched figure, eyes wide as she mouthed something indecipherable to him.

"Mr. Potter, what held you up? Do you have a note from Poppy?" Flitwick asked from where he was standing on his stack of books.

James froze in his seat. "Ah, Madame Pomfrey didn't — she didn't give us a note."

"That's highly unusual! Are you sure?"

James was sweating slightly. By now everyone had to know about them. What other explanation was there for the two of them to come back to class so late with swollen lips and messy hair without a note from the hospital wing?

Thankfully, Lily saved him from responding. "Madame Pomfrey was very busy. It looks like a lot of students are sick today."

Flitwick just hummed in response. "I'll check up with her later. Well, get back to work, you have a lot to catch up on!"

James hoped that Flitwick didn't make good on his promise, but he had no choice but to duck his head and scribble furiously, not even bothering to hide the grin that was on his face.

Impulsively, he shot a glance at Lily, who was looking at him too, with her bright green eyes.

 _After class,_ she mouthed at him, and he beamed back, shooting her a thumbs-up, already ready for part two of their hallway snog-fest. 


End file.
